starhansenevents

Spring has officially started and I couldn’t be happier! It felt like a long cold winter (even here in Southern California) and I’m happy to kiss the cold goodbye and focus on all things spring – warmer weather, flowers in every color of the rainbow, and delicious ice cold cocktails with little umbrellas… or succulents…

I was recently asked to plan a baby boy shower at a gorgeous private home in Malibu. The shower was featured on Pop Sugar Moms and I’ll be sharing it here on my blog with all of you soon! The hostess and I incorporated lots of DIY decor elements into the day including hand dyed table linens and napkins, watercolor calligraphy, and boho dream catchers on every chair! But one of my most favorite DIY additions to the baby shower were the succulent stirrers that we used for each of the ladies beverages. Whether it was a cocktail or a mocktail, everyone got one and they loved this unique touch. I so loved making these stirrers and wanted to share the project with you because it is so darn simple! The best part… there are only a few things you need!

Succulent Stirrers

Supplies:

Scissor

Clear tape

Washi tape

Mini succulents (real or faux) – cut down so just a bit of the stem is attached

Wooden skewers cut just a bit longer than your glass

Instructions:

First, take your skewers and begin to poke each skewer into the base of the succulent.

Next, take a small piece of clear tape and secure the succulent on the skewer. Once your clear tape is fastened, take your colored washi tape and place it on top of the clear tape. Cover the clear tape as best as you can!

Ta-Da! Easy as that! I used these same stirrers as a garnish for the Fresh Yellow Watermelon Margaritas I served at a girl’s night last fall. This project works well with many types of hardy flowers with strong bases such as roses, ranunculus, carnations, etc. Imagine how pretty a mixture of florals and succulents would be for a spring party or brunch! You could even slide some fruit onto the skewer just under the flower or succulent for an additional garnish. Grab your crafty gal pals and and try this project out! Happy sipping!

Our Heidi is turning three next week and I am busily planning her little birthday party. I feel like I’m so behind this year but it is tough to plan a party in the middle of wedding season! Thankfully she is forgiving and will be happy with just about anything as long as she has a pink cake! This year she has decided on a unicorn theme which works out nicely for me since I designed and planned a unicorn themed birthday party for a client earlier this year so it is fresh on my mind. Although unicorns are anything but unique nowadays, I think they are popular for very good reason. Who can resist pastel rainbow colors, sparkles, and magical mythical creatures?! I’m having so much fun with this theme and am excited to share details and photos with you all!

As I’m in the middle of planning this year’s party, I am realizing that I never shared photos from her party last year. Since September is in full swing and the kiddos have all just started to school, it is the perfect time to share her apple themed 2nd birthday party. As you probably can imagine, when I plan a party for a family member or friend, it is always quite different than when I plan an event for a client. I have to work with a smaller budget so I end up DIYing most of the decor and even baking most of the desserts myself (which I love doing). For Heidi’s apple party we kept things pretty simple but it was still super cute and she had a blast!

Heidi’s invitations read “Sweet as Pie, the Apple of Our Eye” and set the tone for the party. The color palette included various shades of greens and reds with a bit of pink mixed in and there was apple decor everywhere! We scheduled the party for late morning and served brunch style food – yogurt parfaits, doughnut holes, pumpkin bread, fruit, and breakfast burritos as well as juices and coffee. We had apples of all colors and varieties all over the place and the kids noshed on them throughout the party. We even set up an apple peeling station where kids could use a really cool contraption to peel and spiralize their apples. I made cinnamon play dough and put little pie pans and cinnamon sticks out for the kids to “bake” apple pies. I also had a build your own candy necklace station where the kids could string their own necklaces of rainbow cereal, yogurt covered pretzels, and gummy apple Os. For dessert I made caramel dipped apples and cinnamon vanilla cupcakes topped with super cute fondant apples. We also served a selection of pies and sugar cookies decorated like apples. Our little guests received apple shaped apple cinnamon play dough as a favor when they left. All in all it was a really fun day and our little Heidi definitely enjoyed being guest of honor (and having free reign of the dessert and juice bars ;).

I SO enjoy planning parties for my littles! Can’t wait for the next one in a couple of weeks!

Over the past couple of years I’ve had a love affair with teal and while blush pink (or ballet slipper pink as I used to call it) has been my favorite color since I was a little girl, teal is now definitely up there! I find myself drawn to it for home decor, apparel, heck – even when choosing a crayon to color with my kiddos! Teal feels elegant and chic (a grown up version of turquoise in my opinion) yet is still super bold and playful. I incorporated teal into a styled shoot I designed at Vibiana last year and loved how the color popped against all of Vibiana’s white marble. This shoot was featured on Green Wedding Shoes – you can check it out on my blog here.

I’m a big fan of unexpected color combinations and September’s Monthly Mood Board fits the bill. The three feminine neutrals complement the bold and moody mustard yellow and teal so beautifully! I don’t recommend overdoing it with teal or mustard yellow at an event, but a few pops here and there would be gorgeous and unexpected! Some of my favorite ways to incorporate these colors is through cocktails, cakes, ribbon details and lounge furniture. It doesn’t need to be in every detail, but a couple of hints can really bring a reception to life!

Fall officially starts later this month and I think the colors and design elements in this board are a really great way to transition into the new season. Although today we are expected to hit a high of 98 degrees where I am (no joke!!!), we all know fall is upon us. I’m seeing pumpkin spice everything at coffee shops (which is not my thing but I know some people looooove it) which means fall is right around the corner. I’m a summer girl through and through so it does make me a little sad but with the weather being so hot, I know we still have a few more weeks of summer left! I’m going to soak it up!

This summer has flown by! We’ve executed a handful of amazing weddings and are in the process of planning many more that will take place this fall. Although the summer has been busy, we’ve definitely enjoyed this lovely season! My kids are at such a fun age (my son is 5 and my daughter is almost 3) so I’m grateful for the time I got to spend with them this summer. We checked almost all of our “Summer Bucket List” items off the list including making homemade ice cream, going to a water park, hosting a summer bbq/pot luck, checking out a few local museums we’d yet to explore, and of course, tie dying (still need to have a lemonade stand, and grateful that we technically have a few more weeks of summer to fit that in)!

Anyone that knows me well knows I love to tie dye and we’ve done it every summer for the past couple of years. To me, it’s not summer until you tie dye, so to celebrate the end of the season, I want to share with you one of my favorite ways to tie dye. Earlier this summer I invited some other moms and their kids over for a tie dye party! We used a few different techniques including spray dying, a vat of indigo tie dye, Rit dyes, and of course the classic tie dye kits that you can pick up just about anywhere in the summer. One of the things I love most about tie dying is that no matter what materials you use or how you do it, the outcome is always so cool! It is really hard to mess up tie dye. I enjoy all of the different materials and techniques but I have to say that ice dying is my all time favorite! I only learned about this style of tie dye last year and it has quickly become my obsession and I fear that soon, I will own nothing white (since it will all be ice dyed!). It is unbelievably simple and you only need a few things. This method often goes unnoticed, but it is SO entertaining and enjoyable – and it is probably the most kid friendly way to tie dye so big yay for that!!

I know there are plenty of tie-dye instructions floating around, but let’s face it – sometimes we just want to get to the basics! So, below you will find a few simple steps to the art of ice dying.

What you’ll need:

Powdered Rit Dye

This kit can be bought at any craft store – Joann’s, Michael’s…even Amazon!

Fabric

T-shirts, towels, cloth napkins, bed sheets maybe…anything white!

Ice

An open space to get messy!

I let my kids do this on our grass in the back yard, but others do it over a bucket or a foil pan!

Step 1:

Choose your fabric!

We’ve ice-dyed t-shirts, towels, table cloths/runners, cloth napkins (one of my favorites), and kitchen hand towels! The world is certainly your oyster with this decision and anything and everything goes!

Step 2:

Wash your fabric in soda ash! (Suggestion)

It’s suggested that before you ice dye, the fabric that intends on being dyed should be washed in soda ash before-hand. However, if you barely have enough time to breathe (like me!), there is simply no way we can get around to do this – so I’ll let you in on a little secret…my dye turned out just fine without the soda ash!! 😉

Steps 3 and 4:

Wad, Fold, and Scrunch…then add the ice!

Once you have your fabric and space for magic, it’s time for the fun part! You are going to want to wad up your fabric and bunch it in any way you please. (Somewhat like the picture below!) There’s tons of folding techniques for indigo tie dye and traditional methods, but when ice dying, this good ol’ crumple method is best!

No rubber-bands are needed with this technique mostly because the natural melt results in the watercolored effect that is desired when ice dying.

After you have wadded up your fabric, it’s time to cover it inch by inch with ice. The more ice, the greater effect you will see in your dye. Go ahead and pile it on!

Step 5:

Sprinkle the Dye!

Once the fabric is covered with ice, sprinkle the powdered Rit Dye all over the ice and fabric – cover pretty much every part of the garment (using as little or as much as you’d like).

*TIP: I wouldn’t go crazy with a rainbow assortment of colors… (I know this might be tough with kids who would love to sprinkle every color in sight!) But instead, try and pick a palette of colors that go well together so your fabric doesn’t end up turning brown. Think blues, purples, and pinks or maybe some yellows and oranges!

Step 6:

Let it melt!

Last but not least, its time for the ice to melt and for the masterpiece to come alive! Now, you can either let the ice melt naturally in the sun, or for a more fun and interactive way for the kiddos (or if YOU just can’t wait!!), you can use a squirt bottle filled with water to speed up the process.

Step 7:

Wash the fabric!

Before you throw the fabric in the washer, be sure to RINSE first with cold water until the water runs clear (if you are dying outside on the grass, a hose works great for this). When washing in the machine, I would highly recommend washing the pieces of fabric separately for the first couple washes to avoid any color bleeding!

Step 8:

Enjoy!

Now that I’ve shown you the steps to Ice Dying, it should be made clear that this new trend is certainly not just for children or a wacky t-shirt! The result is really beautiful and the watercolor effect is anything but psychedelic. Ice dyed pieces can be incorporated into special events including baby showers, birthday parties, even weddings! If you just pick the right color palette (maybe grays and whites) this tie-dye DIY can be super chic and absolutely gorgeous. Trust me when I tell you that all this fun can be used for unique occasions, as I have done it myself! Click on this linkwhich showcases ice dyed table cloths I made for a baby shower I designed last year – told ya this tie dye can work wonders!! Before summer officially comes to a close, I encourage you to give this technique a try!

Below are a few photos from our tie dying party. The kids chose different techniques and they enjoyed showing off their masterpieces. My son and I made matching indigo tie pieces for our little family because a family that tie dyes together, stays together, right?! My husband is a really good sport – don’t you think?

Can you believe it is officially August! This summer is flying by and although flip flop weather is still in full swing, the end of the summer is near. As much as it makes me a little sad to admit, the fun bright colors will soon be faseing out with fall quickly approaching! I am a big fan of colors. especially in the summer months, but I love neutrals just as much! They feel so fresh and clean and are very welcome after months of fun and playful summer colors like the mood boards from June and July!

Some of my favorite neutral combinations are with mixed metallics and different shades of blush. I consider blush a neutral, especially since it can come in so many shades – from peachy, grayish, to mauve toned. It is romantic and feminine and perfect for weddings – and when combined with traditional neutrals such as beige, cream, and gray, it becomes slightly less “girlie”. Of course white has to be included in this board, it is the heart of a bridal color palette and can be so easily combined with greenery, like my mood board for March! I love a predominately white wedding and think bits of other neutrals bring depth to an all white wedding.

So what do you think? Are you up for an all-neutral wedding? I think this board sells it for me!

Shopping for the perfect gift for an engaged couple is often the hardest thing about being a guest (aside from picking out the perfect outfit, of course!). That being said, I’m going to reveal some of my favorite hidden treasures that every happy couple didn’t realize they needed. I, myself, cannot live without many of these items, which is why I feel confident in suggesting them to you! While I would always recommend shopping from the couple’s registry, there are some instances in which you will not be provided with one and in these cases, creativity is left in the palm of your hands. So, ladies and gents, grab your piggy banks and let’s go shopping!

Royal Copenhagen Fluted Contrast Mug – Royal Copenhagen makes the most gorgeous pieces. I am part Danish and grew up with Royal Copenhagen treasures around my home. I’ll always love their classic china but I love that they continue to evolve with the times and are constantly coming up wth new styles. These Fluted Contrast Mugs represent the ‘perfect blend of the aesthetic and the functional.’ These mugs can be used for anything – coffee, plants, toothbrushes, pens, etc. – the complete multitasker for the new couple! My husband and I love these mugs and have a set of 12 in a variety of colors.

Personalized Address Stamp – Not only could this personalized stamp be used for return addresses on thank you cards post-wedding, but the couple could even utilize it for their wedding invitations too~ Shower gift? Check!

Baking Set – This baking set includes every size dish that any baking extraordinaire could potentially need to create a masterpiece! They are unique and beautiful yet completely functional. Move out of the way Easy Bake Oven! I don’t have this set but it is definitely on my wish list!

One-Line-A-Day notebook – Each page in this handy notebook features a month and a day, along with 5 different places to record the year and the current day’s events. How fun to track what happens daily for couples in the first 5 years of their marriage! I’ve been writing in one of these books for the past six years and it is so fun to look back at what our lives were like in the early days of our marriage. Life was very different 😉

Pucket – One of my favorite games ever! We’ve given this game as a gift over and over and everyone loves it. Trust me when I tell you that nearly anyone will get a kick out of this – maybe even challenge the couple to a game in the future!

Ring Holders – This is one of those trinkets that follows me in every room of my house! From my kitchen to the bathroom sinks, and of course my bedside – my ring holders are a nifty way to keep my most prized possession safe and sound! I see them as a necessity for both men and women.

Fourth of July is right around the corner which means summer is in full swing! I couldn’t be happier – despite the crazy heat we’ve been experiencing, I absolutely LOVE summer! Enjoying longer days is kind of a given, but there are a number of other things that make summer my favorite season:

Allowing my kiddos to run around our backyard in their undies for hours, playing in the water or doing messy art projects

Summer produce (particularly watermelon and peaches)

Eating every meal outside

Tie dying

Rose all day (ok, lets be honest, I’m past the point of “all day”, but Rose… for a few hours 😉 )

Another reason why I love summer is Fourth of July! It is one of my favorite holidays because I just love the excitement it evokes! It is a low pressure holiday full of fun activities and good food! Often times, red, white, and blue, make people think of Firecracker Popsicles, stars and stripes, and fireworks. I love all of these things on the Fourth of July and have been known to make fruit platters designed to look like the American Flag.

The colors red, white, and blue don’t typically make people think of weddings, but I challenge you to think differently about them. If you darken the red and blue shades to more of a crimson and navy, pair it with a creamy white, and pop in a little bit of mauvy pale pink – you have a gorgeous unexpected color combination! Patriotic red, white, and blue were my inspiration for this month’s mood board, but I enjoyed glamming these colors up a bit and taking this color combination to the next level. This look would be beautiful for a July wedding… or any time of the year! With the dark hues, it lends itself to fall and winter weddings as well. In fact, my clients Kathryn and Scotty utilized a similar color palette for their wedding last January. Click here to see photos from their wedding.

Vibiana has always been one of my favorite event venues. From the moment you walk in you know it is a special place and it definitely has that “WOW” factor. I was honored to be asked to design and style an inspirational shoot at this iconic venue in Downtown Los Angeles and I had so much fun coming up with the concept, color palette, and design elements. I worked along side a dream team of vendors who all helped make the end result truly lovely! I even had the opportunity to work with my little sister who modeled as our bride. Isn’t she gorgeous?! I am so thrilled to have had this shoot featured onGreen Wedding Shoes– one of my favorite wedding blogs!

Vibiana is a gorgeous cathedral located in the historic area of Downtown Los Angeles. Built in the late 1800s, the cathedral was originally used by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and was the official cathedral of Los Angeles for more than 100 years. In more recent years the building has become a sought after event venue specializing luxury weddings, special events, and performances.

With its high ceilings, abundance of Carrera marble, and breathtaking altars, we felt Vibiana was the perfect backdrop/venue for this glamorous winter styled shoot. We chose a color palette of bright jewel tones mixed with metallic and moody accents to contrast Vibiana’s bright and clean interior. Traditional décor elements mixed with modern pieces made for interesting contrast in this historic setting. The outdoor walkway outside the bridal suite is a beautiful location for portraits with the Los Angeles sky line as a backdrop. There are so many lovely nooks for unique photos. Some of our favorites are the staircase, the gold dome, and the confessionals. Below are a few of my favorite photos from this shoot. I hope you enjoy them!

Summer is upon us and I couldn’t be happier! There are things to love about every season but summer is hands down my favorite! I love the sunshine and warm weather, the summer produce, and eating every meal outside! We have lots of amazing weddings ahead of us this summer and I can’t wait to watch our couples tie the knot!

I planned a wedding in Palm Springs last month for two amazing grooms and the whole day was such a dream. Their love was electric and their wedding so beautiful. They incorporated lots of unique elements into their wedding decor and it made for a very memorial day for everyone! I can’t wait to share more about this wedding on my blog – stay tuned! My assistant and I stayed at the Saguaro, which is known for tons of colors! Each room is actually a different panel of colors – even the A/C unit is neon. We got the chance to explore the property a bit, and fell in love with the vibe and wanted to bring a little of it to you! The funky fun neon colors at this hotel were my inspiration for this month’s mood board. Although they might not be everyone’s cup of tea for a wedding – you can’t deny that they scream playful summer fun! These colors would be the perfect addition to a summer pool party, bbq, or bachelorette party.

Neons can feel overwhelming really quickly if overdone. I love pops of neon paired with a neutral color palette. Neon colors are unexpected paired with wood, stoneware, or kraft paper and I love this look! You can also consider selecting just a few neon colors rather than using the whole slew of them. Kids love them (especially when paired with a black light) and they bring out the inner child in adults! Palm Springs or not – give this look a try this summer!

Planning a social event such as a baby shower honoring someone close to you can be intimidating! You want everything to be perfect and to encompass all of the things they love. The details, games, food, and decor all add up to create such a special day for the expecting mommy to be. I recently had the opportunity to assist in planing an intimate baby shower honoring Jeanette and her baby Easton. The shower took place at a private home in Malibou Lake with gorgeous lighting and views for days! We knew we wanted to incorporate lots of blue in honor of baby Easton and also wanted to incorporate a bit of boho flair in honor of the Jeanette who loves that style. The hostess wanted to add her own personal touch so she hand made dream catchers for each and every guest – they doubled as chair decor! As you may know, I love crafting and was excited that she was open to lots of handmade decor elements. I ice dyed the table linens using various shades of blue and hand painted the napkins to create a watercolor ombre affect. Pretty Vintage Rentals‘ blue goblets added the perfect pop of blue to the table and Letter Bliss created some gorgeous signage to help personalize the event.

Jenny Quicksall photographed the event and she captured some amazing moments! Some of my favorite photos from the shower are of the gorgeous mama to be and her cute bump, the tablescape, and the delicious food and sweets. We were honored to have this baby shower featured on both Popsugar Moms and Rustic Baby Chic. I will be sharing a few more DIYs from this shower in the next couple of months. Please subscribe to see when they are posted!